[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H2106-H2109]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA AS THEY PROTEST PEACEFULLY FOR 
                           DEMOCRATIC CHANGE

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 488) supporting the people of Venezuela as 
they protest peacefully for democratic change and calling to end the 
violence, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 488

       Whereas the United States Government should support the 
     rule of law, and free and peaceful exercise of representative 
     democracy in Venezuela, condemning violence and intimidation 
     against the country's political opposition, and calling for 
     dialogue between all political actors in the country;
       Whereas, on February 12, 2014, also known in Venezuela as 
     the National Youth Day, students began protesting in several 
     cities Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's inability to stem 
     violent crime, his undemocratic actions, and a rapidly 
     deteriorating economy marked by high inflation and shortages 
     of consumer goods;
       Whereas, on February 12, 2014, a judge issued an arrest 
     warrant for Leopoldo Lopez, leader of the opposition party 
     Voluntad Popular, for unfounded allegations in connection 
     with the student protests;
       Whereas, on February 17, 2014, the Government of Venezuela 
     notified the United States Department of State that it had 
     declared 3 consular officers at the United States Embassy in 
     Venezuela personae non gratae;
       Whereas over the last year, the Government of Venezuela has 
     expelled a total of 8 United States Government officials from 
     Venezuela;
       Whereas, on February 18, 2014, opposition leader Leopoldo 
     Lopez turned himself in to Venezuelan authorities, was 
     arrested, and charged with criminal incitement, conspiracy, 
     arson, and intent to damage property;
       Whereas Leopoldo Lopez is currently being held in a prison 
     at a military facility;
       Whereas nongovernmental human rights organizations have 
     alleged that the charges brought against Venezuelan 
     opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez appear to be a politically 
     motivated attempt to silence dissent in the country;
       Whereas the Venezuelan Government has blocked users' online 
     images as opposition groups marched through Caracas;
       Whereas the Venezuelan people have been protesting 
     economic, social, and political concerns facing their 
     country, including corruption, rising inflation rates, 
     shortages of everyday products, increasing crime rates, and 
     the erosion of human rights and respect for political 
     dissent;
       Whereas, on February 19, 2014, President Barack Obama 
     criticized the Venezuelan Government for arresting 
     protesters, called for their release, and urged the 
     government to focus on the ``legitimate grievances of the 
     Venezuelan people'';
       Whereas, as of February 26, 2014, there have been 14 people 
     killed, over 100 injured, and many persons unjustly detained 
     in relation to pro-democracy demonstrations throughout 
     Venezuela;
       Whereas Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro threatened to 
     expel the United States news network CNN from Venezuela and 
     has taken off the air the Colombian news channel NTN 24, 
     which transmits in Venezuela, after news outlets reported on 
     the nation-wide protests;
       Whereas the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights 
     released a statement on February 14, 2014, which ``expresses 
     its concern over the serious incidents of violence that have 
     taken place in the context of protest demonstrations in 
     Venezuela, as well as other complaints concerning acts of 
     censorship against media outlets, attacks on organizations 
     that defend human rights, and acts of alleged political 
     persecution''; and
       Whereas as a member of the Organization of American States 
     and signatory to the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the 
     Government of Venezuela has agreed to abide by the principles 
     of constitutional, representative democracy, which include 
     free and fair elections and adherence to its own 
     constitution: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the people of Venezuela in their pursuit of 
     freedom of expression and freedom of assembly to promote 
     democratic principles in Venezuela;
       (2) deplores acts which constitute a disregard for the rule 
     of law, the inexcusable violence perpetrated against 
     opposition leaders and protesters in Venezuela, and the 
     growing efforts to use politically motivated criminal charges 
     to intimidate the country's political opposition;
       (3) urges responsible nations throughout the international 
     community to stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela 
     and to actively encourage a process of dialogue between the 
     Government of Venezuela and the political opposition to end 
     the violence;
       (4) urges the United States Department of State to work in 
     concert with other countries in the Americas to take 
     meaningful steps to ensure that basic fundamental freedoms in 
     Venezuela are in accordance with the Inter-American 
     Democratic Charter and to strengthen the ability of the 
     Organization of American States (OAS) to respond to the 
     erosion of democratic norms and institutions in Venezuela;
       (5) urges the Organization of American States and its 
     Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to utilize its good 
     offices and all mechanisms at its disposal to seek the most 
     effective way to expeditiously end the violence in Venezuela 
     in accordance with the Inter-American Democratic Charter; and
       (6) supports efforts by international and multilateral 
     organizations to urge the Venezuelan Government to adopt 
     measures to guarantee the rights to life, humane treatment, 
     and security, and the political freedoms of assembly, 
     association, and expression to all of the people of 
     Venezuela.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 488 signals U.S. support for the people of 
Venezuela as they protest peacefully for democracy in the face of 
Nicolas Maduro's violent repression and his crackdown on those who 
express their opposition to his regime's failed policies.
  We must take a clear stand because the Maduro regime has responded in 
a deeply undemocratic manner by forcibly repressing protesters, 
attempting to silence critics by blocking media outlets, and even 
authorizing the arrests of key opposition leaders such as Leopoldo 
Lopez.
  As protests have swelled throughout the country, the actions of 
regime forces have led to the deaths of at least 15 and to the unjust 
detention of more than 100 freedom seekers.
  It is incumbent upon the Organization of American States, the OAS, to 
act according to the principles of its Inter-American Democratic 
Charter and address this crisis of democracy. Yet recent history has 
shown us that the Secretary General of the OAS will not lead the way in 
this important effort. Thus, in the absence of his leadership, 
responsible nations in the hemisphere must act. They cannot remain 
silent.
  The Panamanians have stepped up to the plate. They have proposed a 
ministerial meeting at the OAS, but regrettably, Mr. Speaker, that 
proposal has not moved forward. This resolution will send a clear 
message to the OAS and to Nicolas Maduro that the United States 
condemns these undemocratic actions.
  We see the plight of the people of Venezuela, and we stand on their 
side in the struggle for democratic change. We stand together with the 
Women for Life, Mujeres por la Vida, who march clad in white through 
the streets of Venezuela peacefully, like their companions in the 
struggle for freedom in Cuba--Las Damas de Blanco, the Ladies in White.
  We stand with the students who take to the streets demanding the 
release of their fellow students who have been unjustly detained, only 
to be met with the clubs and the teargas of Maduro's henchmen. And we 
stand together, Mr. Speaker, united with the people of Venezuela who 
wish to cast the yoke of repression and oppression and the influence of 
the Castro regime, which has

[[Page H2107]]

been more than eager to help Maduro silence the oppression in Venezuela 
because it fears that the movement will sweep over the island of Cuba.
  We must stand together and support those who seek freedom: freedom of 
expression, freedom of assembly, and the freedom from government abuse 
and government oppression. We must speak with a unified voice, Mr. 
Speaker, about the crisis of democracy in Venezuela and stand in 
solidarity with the Venezuelan people in their spirited struggle.
  But in the face of a determined autocrat who disregards expectations 
of right conduct and who is willing to use violence to impose his will 
on free citizens, well, Mr. Speaker, words are just not nearly enough. 
We must act, and we must act now. We must support those who are 
pleading for respect for democratic principles and for human rights in 
Venezuela.
  I want to thank the chairman of our important committee, Chairman 
Royce, and my good friend, also, Ranking Member Eliot Engel, for 
getting this measure to the floor so quickly. I also want to thank 
their exceptional staff. I want to thank Congressmen Albio Sires and 
Mario Diaz-Balart, who have supported this resolution from the very 
beginning. Mr. Speaker, we have worked closely together in a bipartisan 
and a bicameral way, including with the State Department, to ensure 
that this is a strong, bipartisan resolution, and I urge my colleagues 
to support it.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 488, a 
resolution supporting the people of Venezuela as they protest 
peacefully and calling for an end to recent violence, and I yield 
myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would first like to recognize my good friend, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen) for offering this 
important resolution, but more so for her dedication for so many years 
to these important issues. It has been a pleasure working with her 
through the years.
  The eyes of the world are on Venezuela as President Nicolas Maduro 
and his security forces crack down on peaceful protesters. It is an 
absolute tragedy that 17 people have been killed and 261 people have 
been injured during recent protests throughout the country. It sounds a 
little bit like Ukraine, doesn't it?
  I was particularly disturbed when the government issued an arrest 
warrant for opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez on trumped-up charges. Mr. 
Lopez turned himself in on February 18 and is currently being held in a 
prison at a military facility.
  And, by the way, the elections that supposedly elected Mr. Maduro, as 
far as I am concerned, are in question because there never was a real 
recount. The ballots were destroyed before there could be a recount.
  I am so deeply troubled by the crackdown on press freedom in 
Venezuela. The Colombian news network NTN24 was recently taken off the 
air after it broadcast footage of the protests. Journalists from CNN 
were also threatened with expulsion.
  Today's resolution makes it clear that Congress stands with the 
Venezuelan people and against all acts of violence and undemocratic 
actions. I am pleased that President Obama and Secretary Kerry have 
also spoken out forcefully in condemning violence in Venezuela.

  Let me be clear. It is not just the United States that has been 
taking notice of recent events in Venezuela. The Inter-American 
Commission on Human Rights released a statement on February 14 which 
``expresses its concern over the serious incidents of violence that 
have taken place in the context of protest demonstrations in Venezuela, 
as well as other complaints concerning acts of censorship against media 
outlets . . . and acts of alleged political persecution.''
  Last week, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on the 
Venezuelan Government to release jailed opposition members and 
protesters and to end the violence.
  I hope all member states of the OAS, the Organization of American 
States, will similarly call on the Venezuelan Government to abide by 
the OAS Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Democratic 
Charter.
  Finally, let me say that the only way out of this crisis is through 
dialogue. Our resolution makes this absolutely clear by encouraging ``a 
process of dialogue between the Government of Venezuela and the 
political opposition to end the violence.''
  I stand with the people of Venezuela in calling for an end to the 
senseless violence, and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 488, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart), our colleague who is on the 
Appropriations Committee who has been a leader in this fight for 
freedom and liberty for the Venezuelan people.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this House 
resolution introduced by my dear friend and one of the great leaders 
and champions for freedom around the world, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen. I also want to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel, 
speaking of folks who believe in freedom and are always looking out for 
those who are repressed.
  For the last several weeks, Mr. Speaker, the people of Venezuela have 
risen up to protest the corruption, the food shortages, the soaring 
crime rates, and, most important of all, the increased and alarming 
repression by the Maduro regime. In response to those legitimate 
protests--those peaceful protests--the Venezuelan regime has ordered 
security forces to, frankly, brutally crack down on the opposition.
  Since the protests began, Mr. Speaker, more than 500 people have been 
arrested. Those are the ones that we can document. Approximately 150 
have been injured, and more than a dozen--more than a dozen--have been 
killed.
  Not only that, Mr. Speaker, but the Maduro regime has instituted 
something which should not surprise us, a virtual media blackout. They 
have blocked out images. They tried to block out images over the 
Internet. They even closed down, in certain parts of the country where 
they had the ability to do so, parts of the Internet, including 
Twitter. They have thrown out independent news organizations like CNN 
and NTN.
  Why? Why are they doing this? They are doing this because the 
Venezuelan people are fed up with the corruption; they are fed up with, 
as my father would have said, this so-called ``decaffeinated 
dictatorship.'' And why would he have said a ``decaffeinated 
dictatorship''? It is a dictatorship that got there, arguably, through 
democratic means that then has done everything to eliminate all 
semblance of democracy, all semblance of human rights, all semblance of 
freedom of the press, and all semblance of the basic institutions of 
democracy.
  And not only that, Mr. Speaker, there are reports of thousands of 
Cuban special operation forces and also intel forces that are helping 
the Maduro regime in the crackdown of the Venezuelan people. So at a 
time when a lot of the so-called international community, particularly 
in our hemisphere, stays quiet to the reality of the Venezuelan 
people's struggle for freedom, I am so proud of this Congress--this 
Congress, this House--that once again is standing with those who are 
oppressed and standing with those who are struggling for freedom. This 
is a House that traditionally has done that. This is a House that 
traditionally, in a bipartisan way, has done that, which is why I am, 
again, so grateful, particularly to the chairwoman, to my, I would say, 
younger but wiser sister, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, to the 
chairman and to the ranking member; for when others are silent, they 
are demonstrating that the United States House of Representatives will 
not stay silent. We will continue to support the Venezuelan people. We 
will stand with the heroic Venezuelan people, those students who have 
hit the streets demanding their freedom.
  I urge every single one of our colleagues to express solidarity with 
those like over 200 years ago, how people in our country went out and 
struggled for freedom. Now we see that the Venezuelan young people, 
that the students, are doing the same thing. How proud of this House, 
how proud I am to see this House stand with those heroic Venezuelan 
people, the heirs of Simon Bolivar--los herederos de Bolivar--who

[[Page H2108]]

are trying and will succeed in recapturing their sovereignty, their 
freedom, and their democracy.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida will provide the 
Clerk a translation of his remarks.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Deutch).
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House 
Resolution 488, supporting the Democratic aspirations of the people of 
Venezuela.
  I would like to thank my friend, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, for her 
leadership and for always fighting for democratic principles. I would 
like to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for working to 
bring this resolution to the floor.
  I strongly condemn the violence used by the Maduro regime: 17 dead 
and 261 injured in the recent protest. Peaceful assembly should never 
be met with the use of deadly force. This government has resorted to 
political intimidation and free media censorship to squash the voices 
of the people.
  I join my colleagues today in support of the people of Venezuela to 
determine their own political future. It is their democratic right to 
seek government policies that put their country on a path to democratic 
and economic prosperity for all Venezuelans.
  By passing this resolution, Congress will send a clear message to the 
people of Venezuela--and to all those around the world struggling to 
achieve true democracy and freedom--that we stand with you. We support 
your most democratic rights of free expression and peaceful assembly. 
Any true democracy must be accountable to its people. We call on the 
Maduro government to work with the people, not against them, to end the 
violence, and to find a political resolution.
  This resolution, Mr. Speaker, makes clear to the Venezuelan people 
and to the Maduro regime that the United States stands for freedom and 
democracy, and that the human rights of the Venezuelan people matter to 
the American people, and they must be defended. I urge my colleagues to 
support this important resolution.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honored to yield 4 
minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the 
chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding to me. I 
also thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), our 
chairman emeritus, and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) the 
ranking member, for their working together to craft this bipartisan 
resolution, a resolution that is focused on supporting Venezuelans, 
supporting their right to free expression, their right to democracy, 
their right for those who yearn to return to the rule of law, and, 
frankly, not just democratic norms, but just the most basic respect for 
human beings.
  In recent weeks, Venezuela has been rocked by nationwide protests 
against the government of the late Hugo Chavez's hand-picked successor, 
Nicolas Maduro. I as I watched events unfold on CNN, they began as 
student protests. Students were going through the streets explaining 
that they were against rampant street crime, and they wanted the 
protections of the state rather than the predatory nature of what was 
happening with these armed gangs. Those protests have since evolved 
into a referendum on the government's statist policies, their 
destructive economic policies, the government's near elimination of 
civil society's freedoms in Venezuela.
  Maduro's heavy-handed response, frankly, I think all of us see this 
now as having really worsened this crisis. We are in a situation now 
where more than a dozen Venezuelans have been killed, and many students 
have been grievously wounded. Even more than that have been jailed. The 
leading opposition figure right now is in prison.
  These parliamentary gangs that we talked about that are so predatory, 
that roam the streets and commit these crimes, now they threaten 
civilians who are trying to peacefully express opposition. The 
President of the country has threatened to release, in his words, all 
of the military force of the country against those who oppose him, 
against the opposition. Even one sitting governor who had long allied 
himself with Hugo Chavez was driven to say that the government has gone 
too far. He took to the radio and said:

       I am against putting down a peaceful protest with weapons.

  Precisely. Precisely--and that, of course, is why the international 
community is concerned and we are concerned here today.
  All of this, of course, is taking place in our own Western 
Hemisphere, just a 3-hour flight from the United States. As a major 
energy producer positioned along drug trafficking routes, Venezuela's 
instability harms the interests of all in the Western Hemisphere.
  Venezuela once had a strong democratic tradition. We would like to 
see that democratic tradition returned. We think the right of free 
expression is an important human right. Speaking out in support of 
those who share this vision, as we are doing today, I think is an 
important step in realizing that goal, and that is why I again commend 
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and Ranking Member Engel for this resolution that 
they have brought forward.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
House Resolution 488, and I thank my south Florida colleague and 
friend, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, for her leadership in introducing 
this measure and giving us an opportunity to stand with the people of 
Venezuela.
  I stand in solidarity with my colleagues and the people of Venezuela 
to condemn the deplorable, horrific, and inexcusable violence the 
Maduro regime has perpetrated against its own citizens. Brave activists 
have taken to the streets in Venezuela to demand basic freedoms from an 
increasingly repressive government. These are students, lawyers, and 
average citizens simply asking their government to respect their basic 
human and democratic rights.
  Since his election, President Maduro's economic and political 
policies have driven Venezuela's economy into the ground. His attempts 
to silence these outcries have not worked, and they will not work. 
Despite jailing leading opposition voices and expelling independent 
media voices, the world is watching and listening, and we still hear 
the calls loud and clear for democracy, for governance, and reform.

  President Maduro's ridiculous accusations about United States 
involvement in fomenting unrest will prove to be a grossly failed 
attempt to distract from his own shortcomings in serving his people. We 
will not allow his rhetoric to try to blame the United States for what 
is a clear struggle between his repressive policies and the legitimate 
demands of his people.
  My hometown of Weston is often affectionately known as 
``Westonzuela.'' Just yesterday, I spoke with community leaders in 
south Florida--many of them my neighbors, my friends, my constituents--
about the fear and horrors that family members and their friends are 
experiencing.
  This resolution calls upon the government of Venezuela to respect the 
principles enshrined in its own governing documents as well as those in 
the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights--including freedoms of 
speech and the press.
  This resolution affirms what we know to be true: that the best way to 
address the legitimate grievances of the people is through genuine 
dialogue between all parties involved. It calls for our country to work 
with our partners in the Western Hemisphere and through regional 
organizations to help facilitate this dialogue and, importantly, to do 
everything possible to cease this senseless violence and create the 
space for peace. This resolution reflects that we stand in solidarity 
with the people of Venezuela.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution can only be the first step to hold 
Maduro and his fellow regime thugs accountable for their terrible and 
violent response, and their abuse of Venezuelan people's liberties and 
human rights.
  I have already begun circulating a letter amongst my colleagues in 
the House addressed to President Obama asking him to take immediate 
action against Maduro and other Venezuelan officials who are 
responsible for violations of their people's human rights.

[[Page H2109]]

We are calling for the President to enact immediate sanctions against 
those officials under authorities granted to him under the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, including denying them 
visas to enter the United States, blocking their property, freezing 
their assets in the U.S., as well as prohibiting them from making any 
financial transactions in the U.S. This letter already enjoys 
bipartisan support. I invite my colleagues to join me in signing this 
letter, and I hope that the President will recognize the severity of 
this issue and do the right thing and take these important steps.
  However, Mr. Speaker, I will file a bill this week that would force 
the implementation of these sanctions even if the President chooses not 
to use these authorities granted to him under the International 
Emergency Economic Powers Act.
  Now is not the time to dither or sit on the fence. The United States 
must stand up for the people of Venezuela and for the American ideals 
of freedom, democracy, of the rule of law, of respect for human rights. 
Failure to hold Maduro and his officials accountable would be 
irresponsible and a failure of leadership.
  On the resolution before us today, Mr. Speaker, I am optimistic that 
the U.S. House will pass my bill expressing support for the people of 
Venezuela as they protest peacefully for democracy. I hope that it will 
pass so that we can send a swift and strong message to Maduro that the 
United States House of Representatives has taken notice of the 
developments in Venezuela and that we will not allow these 
transgressions to pass by quietly.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to repeat what I said 
before, that I hope all member states of the Organization of American 
States will similarly call on the Venezuelan government to abide by 
their OAS Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Democratic 
Charter.
  This is a very bipartisan resolution. I agree with everything that 
the gentlewoman from Florida said. In fact, I agree with everything 
that all of the speakers on both sides of the aisle have said.
  The United States stands for freedom in the world, and I think it is 
very important that the Congress of the United States speaks out loudly 
and clearly when people's rights are being trampled on, as is the 
situation in Venezuela today.
  So again, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen), and I want to thank Chairman Royce, who once again has shown 
in such a bipartisan way that members of the Foreign Affairs Committee 
work closely together because both parties share a love of freedom and 
democracy. Both parties care very much that freedom and democracy 
around the world takes root. I can think of nothing more bipartisan 
than to stand up for freedom and democracy all over the world, and when 
a country has its rights trampled by the government that is supposed to 
protect it, it is time that we in the United States Congress say 
enough: we are not going to sweep this under the rug. We are going to 
speak out loudly and forcefully against it.
  I again thank Ms. Ros-Lehtinen and Chairman Royce.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate my strong thanks to the chairman of 
our committee, Mr. Royce, and to our esteemed ranking member, Mr. 
Engel. Both of them have been very present and very energized on the 
United States House of Representatives speaking in a clear voice in 
favor of democracy, the rule of law, freedom, and liberties being 
respected by the Maduro regime, and so far we have seen the opposite be 
true.
  I want to again suggest to my colleagues that passing this resolution 
of solidarity with the peaceful protesters of Venezuela is an important 
first step, and we hope that those who support this cause will follow-
up with my office and sign the letter to President Obama asking for 
economic sanctions against human rights violators and also cosponsor my 
bill that follows and tracks that same letter.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 488, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________